VIC

1799 posts

VIC, 1799 posts

5 Sep 2019 5:29AM

We developed both sails together so this year the sails are very close to each other. Koncept has a narrower sleeve, 3 cams and Race a wide sleeve and 4 cams. Race has about 2 percent more luff round and the horizontal shaping is subtlety different. The sail is a bit squarer than last years Race, shorter boom but not as tapered in outline much closer to last years Koncept thus the same specs. The new clew setup though has the top eyelet further rearward so the boom spec varies between top and bottom so the boom will rig a bit longer than spec when on the top hole. There is a noticeable difference in bottom end grunt between the 2 settings which gives it a big range.The guys have been really happy in testing, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive but yes it is a pretty big change to last years sail.

NSW

1035 posts

NSW, 1035 posts

Thursday ,
12 Sep 2019 6:54AM

Yes I got the 2019 5.2 Koncept with 4 battens from Mark Jordan. Shape is very deep at the bottom, it has got a lot of power and bottom end too, it's amazing how little wind it needs to get me going, built for speed.

QLD, 85 posts

92 posts

92 posts

Thursday ,
12 Sep 2019 8:10AM

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powersloshin said..Yes I got the 2019 5.2 Koncept with 4 battens from Mark Jordan. Shape is very deep at the bottom, it has got a lot of power and bottom end too, it's amazing how little wind it needs to get me going, built for speed.

"got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

NSW

1035 posts

NSW, 1035 posts

Thursday ,
12 Sep 2019 1:32PM

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"got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

Yes I had another 2 5.0: 2008 and 2013. I also had a 5.4 2013 and wasted a lot of time trying to chose between 5.0 and 5.4. 2019 5.2 has solved my problems, also feels more stable and powerful. Speed was good I did 39.4 which is my second best, but that depends more on conditions. For bearaways I would say that the new 4 cams shapes are a lot more suited

QLD

1978 posts

QLD, 1978 posts

Thursday ,
12 Sep 2019 3:36PM

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srtgumbee said..

powersloshin said..Yes I got the 2019 5.2 Koncept with 4 battens from Mark Jordan. Shape is very deep at the bottom, it has got a lot of power and bottom end too, it's amazing how little wind it needs to get me going, built for speed.

"got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

I have a 2015 5.4, which has done 40kts at Lake George (in 30kts of wind) and a 2019 5.7 , which has done 39kts at Lota Creek, Moreton Bay (in 25 to 30kts of wind). Both are great sails. The 5.4 is a pocket rocket. I'm amazed by its power and stability. I recon the 5.7 has more bottom end, being 0.3 bigger and despite being bigger, the 4th cam allows me to use it in same wind conditions, i.e. similar top end.

VIC

4723 posts

VIC, 4723 posts

Thursday ,
12 Sep 2019 11:20PM

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srtgumbee said.."got a lot of power and bottom end too"

Have you had Koncepts 2018 or older to compare your 2019 to? I have a 2016 5.4 koncept for my speedboard and looking to add to my quiver this season. It would handy to know if the small speed sizes 4.7,5.2,5.7 of 2019 (and assuming 2020) have more bottom end than older models and also if the top end has remained the same or changed?

I have had pretty much every year Koncept 5.4m and then 2019 Koncept Speed 5.2m (first a Proto and then a Production example) and 5.7m. Also 2015 4.6m and then 20194.7m.

Some changes year to year were subtle in stability and balance, but noticeable. Changes from 2017 to 2018 were a bit more obvious with better bottom end and top end. We were very happy with that one to say the least.

The changes for 2019 were a bit more radical with again, a slightly deeper lower section and slightly change in the max draft position, reinforced by the 4th bottom batten and some other changes to free up the twist.. After a season+ of speed sailing all 3 small Speed sizes, I found it very hard to suggest improvements on the 4.7m. It is sensational in both bottom end to get going and it's extreme stability in violent 40+ gusts. And, it is really fast and easy handling. The 5.2m and 5.7m were also a quite noticeable improvement on the 2018. The 5.2m has better bottom end than the 2018 5.0m, but at least as good top end range and stability. The 5.7m is somewhere in between the older 5.4m and 5.8m in size. A little closer to the 5.8m, but feels and light as the old 5.4m and for me seems to have at least as good range. The 2020 5.2m and 5.7m have been more closely matched to the shape of the 2019 4.7m. by giving them more depth in the lower section and a bit free'r twist. The 5.7m needed a bit more added than the 5.2m. The changes have lowered the centre of effort for a more stable and powerful feel whilst reaming very light handling.In the past, my PB speed sails have usually been the 5.0m. (or the 4.4m in the earlier models). Since 2015-5 I have very nearly matched my PB's with the 5.4's, but always felt the 5.8's were better suited to the bigger guys. That changed a bit with the 2019 5.7m Koncept Speed, which for me felt more like the lighter feel of the previous 5.4m, but with a bit more power and drive lower down. It still felt comfortable on my 40cm wide speed board, whereas the 5.8's always felt like they weighed the board down too much for me, although the bigger guys just loved them. I am looking forward to seeing how I go with the 2020 5.7m this year, especially at Lake George. I think it will be my go to sail on those 'not quite 30 knots of wind days' on the CA40 when I have previously loved the 5.4m. And I think the bigger guys will love it in those 30-35knots + PB days.

Short answer: Yes, better bottom end AND top end, and smoother handling. I know thats what all sailmakers say, but the difference from 2015- to 2019 is very noticeable, in range, handling and speed.

Discalimer: I have had a big hand in testing and developing these sails, and obviously they work for me, but the feedback from other KA speed sailors is extremely consistent with mine.

VIC

1799 posts

VIC, 1799 posts

Friday ,
13 Sep 2019 10:01AM

Guys...I can run you through the changes on 2020 Speed if you wish so you don't have to speculate.Most noticeable is the wider luff sleeve. This has aided in the stability improving once again..adding the 4th cam last year made a big difference. The panel layout is new with the 2 mil Mesh film running right down the leech, it does have a strip of 5mil mono on the trailing edge to prevent any stretch issues. The sail feels a bit softer but has lost no acceleration. We increased the luff round a little in the bottom 1/3 to get more cam rotation and more shape forward and actually removed a little shape in the back half to tune the tension. Mainly on the 2 smaller sizes we refined the twist a touch as batten 4 was holding up a bit on the 2019.The clew eyelet layout has also changed so there is a bigger tuning difference now between the bottom and top holes, the top reducing the twist and "S" in the lower leech for more bottom end grunt and the bottom hole opening it up for a lighter feel when really powered up.The guys in the South of France have been putting the prototypes through a work out and they appear to all have big smiles.

92 posts

92 posts

7 hours ago ,
15 Sep 2019 10:43AM

Thanks heaps for the detailed info! I can now make a better informed decision. Would like to get a smaller sail than my 5.4, so are looking into boom (small + wide) and also used board options as I know I could benefit from a board smaller than my Isonic W49.